X
by BrilliantDarkness
Summary: Final installment in the story that began with events of Never My Love. Reid is back at work but how much have his experiences changed him? Discussion of things you should at least be 13 to read. Reviews welcome. I crave feedback.
1. Chapter 1

So, sometimes you just never know where a story idea will lead. I didn't know when I began Never My Love what would end up happening to Reid. Many asked for a follow up and I realized the story couldn't be so neatly encapsulated. This is the final piece to the story. At least to that particular subplot. I appreciate feedback. Always!

* * *

At the BAU, Reid is at his desk going through a stack of files. Across the room, Morgan, Prentiss and Rossi are huddled together.

Prentiss: I didn't know he was back.

Morgan: As of today. He still needs to do his psych eval to get back in the field.

Prentiss: Can he pass it?

Rossi: Any of us can, you know that.

Prentiss: I mean-

Morgan: I know what you mean. I've talked to him and to Maggie as well. He'll always be affected but he's okay. The evaluation is more of a formality than anything else.

Rossi: So what's he working on?

Morgan: You know how we get cold files from detectives looking to jump start their cases?

Rossi: He's profiling those?

Morgan: Someone has to.

J.J. walks through the office stopping next to Reid's desk.

J.J.: Hey Spence, welcome back.

Reid jumps a little and immediately looks sheepish.

Reid: Oh, hey J.J. Thanks.

Reid goes back to reading his files. His eyes get wide.

Reid: Um...J.J.?

J.J.: Yeah, what is it?

Reid: This case I have here…it's not cold. At least it won't be for much longer. Can you get everyone in the conference room so I can run it by them?

J.J.: Of course.

* * *

The team is assembling at the round table and waiting for Reid.

Hotch: Does anyone know what we are doing here?

Morgan: Not yet. Reid seems to think this is pretty important.

Rossi: Are you sure he's okay? He's been through a lot. He could just be jumping at shadows here.

Morgan: Let's just listen. How often is he wrong?

Before anyone can say anything else, Reid hurries into the room carrying a stack of folders which he distributes to his team.

Morgan: So what is this about?

Reid: It's a ten year old case in Connecticut.

Rossi: Hold on...there hasn't been any activity on this case in ten years?

Reid: None. But that's about to change. Just hear me out, okay?

The team members all look up at Reid as if just being polite.

Reid: Ten years ago ten women were murdered over a ten week period by an unsub the media called the X killer. Then nothing.

Prentiss: I'm still not following.

Reid: So I was going over the crime scene photos. Every woman had an "X" carved on her abdomen perimortem. Hence the nickname. Except for the last victim, Heather Marcus.

The picture flashes on the screen of the last victim.

Reid: There's the "X" which obviously denotes the Roman numeral ten but there's more. Three dots and then another "X." To be continued in ten years. We are quickly approaching the anniversary of the start of the first string of murders. If I am right, we are going to be looking at another ten bodies.

Prentiss: Are you sure that's what it means? Maybe he was just going to kill ten more at the time and got arrested or died.

Reid: Just to be sure, I contacted local PD and found a report of a missing woman. She fits the general description of the first victims. She's been missing for about 24 hours so right now I don't think there is much chance of finding her alive. If he's sticking to script, we have less than a week before he abducts the next victim.

Rossi: Well, I've heard enough.

Hotch: Me too. Nice catch, Reid.

J.J.: I'll have the jet readied.

Reid: How soon are we leaving?

Morgan: Hold on there, youngster. You aren't cleared yet.

Reid hands over one last folder.

Reid: As of this morning, I am.

Hotch: Then grab your bag and let's go.


	2. Chapter 2

Reid's voice: "All that time does is make it more distant, put more space between you and what happened. It doesn't heal anything. I don't know how or what does the healing but it isn't time."-Mercedes Lackey

The team is boarding the jet. Hotch, Rossi and Morgan are on board and getting situated while waiting for the others to come aboard.

Hotch: Are we comfortable with Reid coming?

Rossi: He seems okay and he passed the evaluation. We can't really keep him home forever.

Morgan: We'll keep and eye on him. I'll pull him out if he seems shaky.

Hotch: Morgan, how are you doing?

Morgan: With what?

Rossi: You know it wasn't your fault, right? You didn't cause what happened to him.

Morgan: I know that.

Morgan seems not altogether convinced of his own words. The rest of the team is on board and Reid approaches Morgan, Rossi and Hotch.

Reid: Should I sit somewhere else or are you finished talking about me?

Morgan: I thought you got past the paranoia weeks ago.

Reid: It's only paranoia when it's imagined.

Morgan: You're right. Sorry, man.

Hotch: Maybe we should just go over the case.

As if out of habit, the team looks to J.J. who just smiles and nods over at Reid.

Reid: Oh yeah. So the original victims were all red heads in their early 20's. They were all raped and strangled to death. The cuts on the bodies were perimortem. No bodily fluids, hair or fibers were present to give any sort of forensic evidence as to the identity of the attacker. And all of the women were menstruating at the time of death.

Prentiss: Was anything taken? Maybe something he's keeping as a trophy?

Reid: The women were all found naked so he could, presumably, be keeping any or all of their clothing and jewelry.

Rossi: None of the jewelry ever turned up over the years?

Reid: No.

Garcia's voice magically pipes up from the laptop on the table.

Garcia: Is this my cue, doctor?

Reid: Perfect timing, Garcia. What did you turn up on the newest victim?

Garcia: Chloe Seymour aged 21, red hair, college student like most of the others.

Morgan: I suppose it would be asking too much for an overt connection to any of the earlier victims.

Garcia: Much too much, sugar. Not anything at all except age and appearance and an icky guy about to carve Roman numerals on her.

Reid: Thanks, Garcia. Let us know if you come up with anything else.

Garcia: Your wish is my command, Sir Knight. Hey Reid…

Reid: Yeah?

Garcia: It's good to have you back. Garcia out.

Reid smiles and speaks more to himself than to anyone else.

Reid: It's good to be back.

* * *

The team parades into the police station where they are met by the lead detective.

Det. Newton: Joe Newton. I'm lead on the Seymour case. I was lead on the X Killer ten years ago too.

J.J.: Jennifer Jareau, we spoke on the phone. These are agents Morgan, Hotchner, Rossi, Prentiss and Dr. Reid.

Det. Newton: This sure isn't what I expected when I sent that file to the FBI. You guys are sure this missing woman is related to the X Killer?

Reid: Reasonably certain, yes. And if I am correct, she is just the first of many.

Det. Newton looks somewhat unsettled and looks to the rest of the agents for some sort of idea of how to take Reid.

Rossi: He's not often wrong.

Det. Newton: So what do you need?

Morgan: Eventually we will need to talk to friends and family of Chloe Seymour. Right now though, we'd like you to gather your people in here. We have enough from the original case for a preliminary profile.

* * *

The local police are gathered to listen to the agents.

Morgan: We first want to stress that this is a very preliminary assessment. We are going on what this unsub did ten years ago. He has undoubtedly evolved since then but there are things that would not change and these are the things we will be addressing with you all today.

Hotch: Looking at the original data, we would believe those crimes to be committed by a white male in his late twenties to early thirties. That would now put him in his late thirties to early forties.

Morgan: Lack of forensic evidence on the victims leads us to believe a foreign object was used to violate the women.

Rossi: This is often an indicator of impotence.

Reid: The murders have a very ritualized quality to them. The unsub most likely has an extreme and untreated OCD or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Even in very extremes, most cases of OCD will only pose a danger to the sufferer and not a severe danger at that. Hoarding is an example of extreme OCD. Something has caused this unsub to turn his obsessions outward in a violent manner.

Prentiss: Looking at victimology, that something is most likely a young woman with red hair. Probably she was a romantic interest who wronged him in some way but we shouldn't rule out anger toward his mother or another close female relative.

Det. Newton: Why the carving? And why cut them while they are still alive?

Reid: The cutting of the Roman numeral on his victims is part of the ritual. He just has to do it. As for why he does this while they are still alive, there are a couple of possible explanations.

Morgan: One is that he may be a sadist who actually gets off on inflicting pain.

Reid: Or there could be something psychologically significant for him in the letting of blood. Corpses don't really bleed. Bleeding someone was once considered a cure all and for some it is still a way to let evil spirits out of a person.

Det. Newton: Are you saying this has some sort of religious angle?

Hotch: Not necessarily and it would be best if we kept that kind of talk away from the media when discussing the case. You really do not want the kind of panic that can bring about.

Reid: To clarify. He is ritualized because of a mental illness. Not because of religion. And I am not saying that he is killing because of religion either. I am suggesting that certain religious teachings can become horribly skewed by mental illness.

The agents are finished and begin to walk away. Prentiss touches Reid's arm causing him to turn to face her.

Prentiss: I don't think I realized until just a few minutes ago how much I missed having you around. I'm so glad you're back.

Reid looks slightly uncomfortable at the attention. But grateful at the same time.

Reid: Thanks, Emily.

* * *

In a typical dorm room filled with posters of rock stars and sports heroes, Rossi and Prentiss are talking to Chloe's roommate.

Prentiss: Beth, how well do you know Chloe?

Beth: We've been roomies since freshman year. We're pretty tight. That's how I knew she was missing. She would never take off like that without letting me know that she was going somewhere. We text all the time and she's a total facebook junkie. She hasn't updated her status once.

Rossi: Does Chloe have a boyfriend?

Beth: Fiancé. He only proposed a month ago but they've been together like two years now. Jeff Meyers.

Prentiss: Has she said anything lately about anybody bothering her? Following her? Giving off a creepy vibe? Someone she doesn't know trying to friend her on facebook?

Beth shakes her head no.

Beth: And she totally would have, too. If someone was bugging her, I'd know.

Rossi: Is this her computer?

Beth: Yeah.

Rossi: We need to take this.

Beth: As far as I'm concerned you can take anything you want if it helps you find Chloe.


	3. Chapter 3

Many thanks for the feedback so far. I know as a writer I was glad to see Reid back to work. Please continue to let me know how I am doing with this.

* * *

Back at the police station, Reid is pondering the evidence board. Morgan approaches.

Morgan: Hey kid, what have you figured out so far?

Reid: Not a lot as yet. As much as this is obviously OCD ritual, I am beginning to think this is a message to us.

Morgan: You think he wants us to stop him?

Reid: I think that most people with OCD know, at least on some level, that their obsessions aren't rational.

Morgan: Did you get anything on the map?

Reid: Still working on that too.

Morgan: Can we acknowledge the elephant in the room now?

Reid: I'm fine. Mostly.

Morgan: I know you are. You're a lot tougher than any of us give you credit for. What I want to know is can you forgive me?

Reid looks at Morgan with a very perplexed expression.

Morgan: I should have kept you safe.

Reid: There's nothing to forgive. You can drive yourself crazy thinking about everything you think you should have done differently. So can I. But when it comes right down to it, there is really only blame to be had for one person and that is Stanley Karsten. I don't blame you for anything. You need to forgive yourself.

Morgan: Good to have you back, Reid.

* * *

Rossi and Prentiss are driving back.

Rossi: Did Garcia find anything on Chloe's computer?

Prentiss: Term papers, resume…no harassing e-mails, no one blocked on facebook.

A phone rings and Rossi answers.

Rossi: Yeah.

Hotch: What did you find out?

Rossi: Don't tell the kid but I really wanted him to be wrong.

Hotch: He's not. Chloe Seymour's body was just found. I'm sending you the location. We'll meet you there.

Rossi: Damn!

* * *

The agents converge on a scrubby patch of bushes at the side of a moderately traveled road. There is yellow police tape surrounding the site.

Hotch: How long has she been here?

Morgan: M.E. says she's been dead less than three hours.

Reid is crouching beside the body along with Rossi.

Rossi: Mutilation looks the same.

Reid: Not quite.

Prentiss: What's that "2" there next to the "X"?

Reid: Squared. For some reason he feels a need to exponentially increase the body count.

Prentiss: Ten squared? That's 100. One hell of an escalation.

Reid: I'm not sure the "X" still represents ten. Mathematically an "X" can symbolize multiplication and often it is used as a variable to represent an unknown in an equation.

Morgan: So how exactly do we solve for "X" on this one, Mr. Math PhD?

Reid: I don't know yet.


	4. Chapter 4

Reid is in the little room set up for the BAU. It is late and everyone else seems to be gone. He is talking on his phone.

Reid: I wasn't sure I was ready but it feels good to be back. Yeah, I love you too.

Reid hangs up and only then does he notice Morgan standing in the doorway. He seems a little flustered and opens his mouth, obviously feeling a need to explain.

Morgan: She checking up on you?

Reid: She worries.

Morgan: She's a good woman. How's she doing?

Reid: She's well. She seems glad to have me back at work. I think I was starting to get underfoot.

Morgan: You back at your own place now?

Reid nods.

Reid: Mostly.

Morgan just smiles.

Morgan: So what are you still doing here anyway?

Reid: What does it look like? I'm working.

Morgan: Get anywhere on that algebra problem?

Reid: Solving for "X"? I don't think that's the key to catching him. The value of "X" won't matter if we get him before he takes another woman.

Morgan: So what are you doing?

Reid: Remember how you used to always tell me I needed to think outside the box?

Morgan nods.

Reid: Well, I got thinking that the "X" has more than one meaning and there's probably meaning in other facets of the signature.

Morgan looks at the board where Reid has been scrawling all of his thoughts.

Morgan: So that's what all this is?

Reid: Yes, I've been running through the possible significance of each aspect of the crime.

Morgan: Well, let's go over what you have and see if together we can come up with something.

* * *

The rest of the team walks in the next morning to find Morgan and Reid sound asleep. The men have each pushed chairs together for their sleeping spaces. Prentiss holds up a hand to pause J.J., Hotch and Rossi.

Prentiss: They look so peaceful, I hate to wake them.

Hotch brushes past her and begins looking at the boards.

Hotch: It appears they had a productive night.

At Hotch's voice, Morgan and Reid begin to stir.

Morgan: Hey Hotch. Reid had some ideas.

Rossi: Looks like he had quite a few.

By now Reid is awake.

Reid: Hey guys. This isn't all me. I just had the idea to see what I could make of the entirety of the crimes. We've spent so much time analyzing the "X's" and that's significant but it stood to reason that there would be significance in nearly every aspect of the crimes and the disposal of the bodies.

Prentiss: Sounds like a good idea. But I'm not going to be able to take you seriously until you do something with that hair.

Reid offers an expression somewhere between sheepish and annoyed as he runs his fingers through his hair to attempt to tame his locks.

Reid: Anyway, between the two of us, we came up with some things that we think might offer some greater insights into the motivation for these crimes.

Det. Newton opens the door and leans into the room.

Det. Newton: I'm not sure how you guys want to handle this but the press has a hold of the Chloe Seymour murder and they are making the connection to the X Killer. People are stating to panic. Ten years isn't nearly long enough to erase the memory here.

J.J. looks questioningly at her team for direction.

Morgan: Go ahead. Confirm we are dealing with the X Killer. Saying he's a copycat won't make anyone feel safer and if the details of the scene are already out then there's no way we can hide the connection. Give the very basics of the profile. Leave any talk we've had of religion out of it. Let them know you will address them again later. Get a tip line going. Urge caution among all women. Not just those who fit the physical profile of the victims. Encourage women to stick together.

J.J.: Got it.

* * *

Hotch: So now, what is all of this?

Hotch gestures at the boards with unintelligible notes of seemingly unrelated words.

Reid: Basically we examined every little aspect of the murder trying to divine which were of significance.

Morgan: We started with the perimortem cutting. Keeping in mind that we might just be dealing with a sadist getting his kicks inflicting pain.

Reid: We decided to explore possible motives if that's not the case. The first thought was Satanism but that was fairly quickly ruled out.

Prentiss: Why's that?

Reid: Aside from the fact that there has never been a documented case of ritual satanic killing? Bloodletting in Satanism is nearly always for the purpose of making one stronger and more powerful. That's not something one would do to someone before strangling that person to death.

Morgan: So we moved on to other bloodletting rituals. Eliminating Mayan and Islamic rituals because of the near certainty that our unsub is Caucasian.

Reid: So that left us with two possibilities. One dates back to the earliest days of medicine where bleeding a person was the way to cure almost anything.

Rossi: And the other option?

Morgan: Well, that's where we needed to look at the other thing these women had in common aside from appearance and age.

Reid: They were all menstruating. Looking at Judeo-Christian tradition, blood is intensely significant. Blood is life. Communion is the symbolic drinking of Christ's blood and in other references, blood cleanses and sanctifies.

Morgan: There are hymns about being washed in the blood of the lamb.

Reid: Right. But menstrual blood is seen differently. It is typically seen as something unclean. Within Judaism for example, a menstruating woman is referred to as "niddah" during her period of menstruation and for a week afterward. She is not allowed to have sex and is thought to defile everyone and everything she touches. According to Talmudic law anyway.

Prentiss: How forward thinking.

Morgan: Actually most religions have some sort of laws governing women during menstruation.

Rossi: So what is the point of this? Do we think the unsub is an Orthodox Jew? Is he killing them because they are unclean?

Reid: Not likely. An Orthodox Jew wouldn't even touch these women. It is a common Christian belief that the blood of childbirth is particularly cleansing. Look at the positioning of the "X's". They are not randomly located.

Hotch: Right over the uterus. We need J.J.


	5. Chapter 5

J.J. is at the podium delivering another press release.

J.J.: We now have more to offer in our search for the killer of Chloe Seymour. This is not a change to the profile I gave you earlier but an addition to it. To refresh, we are looking for a man in his late thirties to early forties. He is not now in a stable relationship and hasn't been for at least ten years. Ten years ago, around the time of the first killings, he had been in a relationship that ended badly. The end of the relationship may have had to do with a disagreement about religion and/or women's rights. The woman he was involved with was in her early twenties with red hair. The man we are looking for is most likely suffering from a form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. He has most likely never been treated for this condition and it may never have been diagnosed. However, even ten years ago he would have displayed symptoms such as repetitive motions or speech. Please, if you have any information that may be helpful, we urge you to contact us.

The reporters gathered begin shouting questions.

J.J.: I have nothing further at this time.

* * *

Hotch enters the room where the other agents are discussing the case.

Hotch: Still nothing on the tip line.

Rossi: We're trying to figure out how he knows they're menstruating. He must have some prior knowledge of each victim.

Prentiss: He must have a way to get pretty close to them. Women don't exactly broadcast that kind of information. Especially to men. You all work with me day in and out. Do any of you know my cycle?

This is met with blank and uncomfortable looks from the men. Looks that say they do not know and don't want to either.

Morgan: So which men do know a woman's menstrual cycle?

J.J. has just entered the room and heard the last question.

J.J.: Keep in mind that cycle isn't the best word for every woman. Not all women are on a regular cycle.

Hotch: Gynecologist?

Prentiss: Don't limit to just that specialty. Practically every doctor I've ever met, present company excluded, wants to know my LMP.

Rossi: LMP?

Reid: Last monthly period. Nearly any MD and even some dentists need to know whether the patient they are treating is pregnant or not. LMP is one way to rule it out.

Morgan: So doctors, nurses, office staff?

Rossi: Hospital workers.

Reid looks as though something has just occurred to him. He grabs a stack of papers.

J.J.: Spence?

Reid grabs his phone.

Garcia: What, are you guys having so much fun that you can't even call? I'd better at least get a lousy T-shirt.

Reid: Garcia, you said nearly all of the victims were college students.

Garcia: Well, scratch that my pretties, they all were.

Reid: Where did they have their prescriptions filled?

Garcia: Different places, why?

Reid: When you look at insurance records for prescriptions, do you see oral contraceptives?

Garcia: No…

Reid: Thanks Garcia.

Morgan: How did that help exactly?

Reid: What J.J. said earlier. Not all women have regular menses. But one way to make sure they do is to use some sort of oral contraceptive.

Prentiss: And a woman on the pill will typically go for her refill when she gets to the inactive pills which happens to be when she is menstruating.

Hotch: So I get how that would indicate the cycle but without pharmacy records, how does this help us?

J.J.: Not all women, even in college want their parents to know they are on the pill. Going to a pharmacy means using Mom and Dad's insurance.

Prentiss: Campus medical clinic.

Hotch: It's a place to start.

Det. Newton: Agent Hotchner? There's a woman out here who says she used to date our unsub.

Hotch: Rossi, Prentiss-you two talk to her. Reid, Morgan-go to the clinic.

* * *

Prentiss and Rossi walk out into the office to meet and attractive red haired woman in her thirties.

Det. Newton: Agents, this is Melody Atkins.

Rossi: Ms. Atkins, I'm Agent David Rossi and this is Agent Emily Prentiss. You have some information for us?

Melody: Tom Hastings. He was my boyfriend. I'm pretty sure he's the man you're looking for.

Prentiss: What makes you think that?

Melody: Tom and I dated a while in college. He was a little odd but he could be so sweet.

Rossi: Odd how?

Melody: Sort of twitchy and he would repeat certain words and he would get really panicky about strange things like checking to make sure the water tap was turned off or the coffee pot was unplugged. Anyway, I got pregnant. Tom wanted to get married but we had only been dating a couple of months and I was really close to finishing my degree. I just couldn't keep the baby so I ended the pregnancy. Tom went over the edge. He was ranting that I was going to burn in hell and I was a murderer. He just couldn't ever get past it. We broke up.

Prentiss: Did he continue to bother you after the break up?

Melody: For a little while and then he stopped. I hadn't realized until just today that he stopped just about the time that the first woman was killed all those years ago.

Rossi: Have you talked to Tom recently or has he made any attempt to contact you?

Melody: No. But my friend Kathy said she ran into him at a store a month or so ago and he asked about me. She said he got really agitated when Kathy told him that I'm married now and have three children.

Prentiss looks at Rossi with a sickened look.

Prentiss: I think we just solved for "X".


	6. Chapter 6

Final Chapter and thus shall end this saga. Maybe. Unless the writing gods tell me that there's more to tell. Anyway, I appreciate feedback that I have gotten. I know the rest of you are out there. I can hear you breathing...well, I can see that you are visiting. Let me know what you think.

* * *

Reid and Morgan are just outside the clinic and Morgan is just getting off the phone. He turns to Reid.

Morgan: We have a name.

The two men walk into the clinic and up to the reception desk where they show their badges to the young woman behind the desk.

Morgan: We're looking for a Thomas Hastings. Is he here today?

Receptionist: He took off at lunch and hasn't come back.

Morgan: What does he do here?

Receptionist: He's a nurse. He's been here for years.

Reid: What time did he leave exactly?

Receptionist: 12:30 I guess.

Reid: Was that TV over there in the waiting room on during the noon news?

Receptionist: Yeah, it's on all day.

Reid turns to Morgan with a very troubled expression.

Reid: J.J.'s last press conference was re-aired during the noon news reports.

Morgan picks up his phone.

Morgan: Hey girl, I need an address for Melody Atkins.

Garcia: Coming at you right now.

Morgan: Make sure the others get it too. That's where he's headed.

Garcia: Will do.

* * *

Outside of a nice Cape Cod home with roses blooming in the front, the agents and local police are arriving on the scene. After an officer breaks the lock on the front door, Morgan and Hotch creep in followed by the others. Walking through the living room, guns drawn, they see a child of around one year of age crying in a playpen. The other agents quickly fan out and determine that there is no one on the ground floor. There is a crashing from upstairs and Morgan and Hotch lead the way up the stairs. As they approach the master bedroom they see Melody Atkins on the bed. Her attacker, a man in his late thirties, unshaven and unkept is behind her holding a knife to her throat.

Morgan: Thomas Hastings, FBI, you're under arrest!

Hastings: You found me but I think you have to actually get me before you can arrest me. So which is more important, the arrest or her life?

Morgan: That's not a choice that has to be made right this minute. I can wait.

Hastings: You can, but can she?

Morgan: Look, man, I'm just trying to understand all of this. I mean, I get that this is all about Melody. What I don't know is whether all of this rage comes from the fact that she had an abortion or if it's because you felt so emasculated that you couldn't ever get it up again. Enlighten me.

At this, Hastings turns to face the agents directly. He presses the knife tighter to Melody's throat but in doing so creates a greater space between her head and his own. She whimpers as a small trickle of blood runs down her neck. There is a shot and a stunned looking Tom Hastings falls backward onto the bed. Melody collapses in tears. The agents rush into the room some attend to Melody and others check to be certain that Hastings is dead.

Morgan: Good shot, Hotch.

Hotch: I didn't fire.

Both men turn to Rossi and Prentiss who just shake their heads. J.J. is just walking into the room with the baby to hand to Melody.

Morgan: Reid?

Reid: I had to. He wasn't going to let himself be arrested. It was a matter of whether we let him take her with him or not.

Morgan puts a hand on Reid's shoulder but has no words for him.

* * *

Hotch's voice: "We are all broken and wounded in this world. Some choose to grow stronger at the broken places."-Harold J. Duarte-Bernhardt

On the plane, Hotch sits down across from Reid who is just staring out the window.

Hotch: I don't suppose I have to explain transference to you?

Reid: No. Nor do you need to talk to me about hyper-vigilance. He would have killed her, Hotch.

Hotch: I'm not saying it was a bad shoot. I'm just saying that-

Reid: That along with Tom Hastings, I was symbolically killing Stanley Karsten? Maybe I was. But I do know the difference. I also know that even if I did kill Karsten, it wouldn't change anything I have been through or still have to go through.

Hotch: I know you're smart and you know all of this intellectually but knowing something and feeling it are two very different things. Even for you. Maybe even especially for you.

Reid: Yes they are. Are you trying to say you don't want me in the field or on the team anymore?

Hotch: No. Absolutely not. We are a much stronger team with you here. Hell, who knows how many women it would have taken for us to get this case handed to us if you hadn't figured out the message.

Reid: So what are you saying?

Hotch: That you aren't going through things in a vacuum. You have people who care about you and can relate to at least some of what you are dealing with. I'm really just asking that you let us in.

Reid nods and gives a small smile before directing his gaze back out the window.


End file.
